midnight b

k. The fabric was heavy, sweeping slightly on the

onged to Donato's late wife, a woman who had died be

tim. I looked like the o

into the

ir sh

dn't just stop;

for the cracks. They were looking for the broke

them

associate of the Family,

returns," h

Queens don't s

m and locked eyes

e against the stem. He looked at me with a mixture

n't expected me t

to him. She was weari

e too heavy for her delicate, bird-like frame

ssandro loo

mething in his ear, her hand clawin

idn't look a

She let go of him a

rted. They s

as too high, too sweet. It grated

ook...

ssive diamond neck

I said, my voice low enough that only she

ile fa

d, stepping closer. "But you're still the woma

ht," I countered. "Furniture l

s narrowed

her clutch and pu

ow when to quit, do

een and shoved the

ook

deo. Grainy

e. And A

only night that year he had touched

lood drain f

to me. We watch them sometimes. We laugh at how

ach tur

red our be

ipping with venom. "Leave the country. O

ed the p

He was watching us, oblivious to the k

d back

t," I

yes w

your

But remember on

ed in

n a gas station, you don't